Wutai
by garnet eyes
Summary: Sephiroth is never fond of missions to Wutai, if for no other reason than the arrogant stupidity he must deal with from those under his command. AU, set before original game.
1. Wutai

Title: Wutai

Author: Garnet Eyes

Archived: y-gallery. net, fanfiction. net

Summary: Racism is a breeding ground for all types of problems when on a mission.

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Author Notes: I have not had the time to watch/play anything in the Final Fantasy VII universe beyond the original game and Advent Children. Therefore, I am certain there are inconsistencies between my writing and newer games or movies.

Disclaimers: Final Fantasy VII is owned by Squaresoft and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

The mission should have been simple. There was a power surge at the reactor in Wutai; it was a standard procedure and the technicians brought out were all top-rank. Yes, many soldiers were sent as a precaution, but the General fully suspected that it wasn't really anything but a show of force. His own presence was nothing more than salt in an open sore for the people of a country ground down by a monolith. Nevertheless, open hostilities were rare in the streets regardless of any anti-Shin-Ra organizations afoot. As was standard, Lord Godo hosted the SOLDIER upon his arrival, graciously offering unnecessary amenities that the silver warrior respectfully accepted so he would not appear rude. The higher powers of Wutai treated him well, aware of how personally affronted he became when any military personnel behaved poorly. When soldiers came here en masse, however, it always spelled trouble due to propaganda and general disrespect for other cultures. SOLDIERs were trained out of such behavior by the General's own hand, but he could not directly oversee everyone.

Thus, it was unfortunately unsurprising to be interrupted during his evening meal at the fierce Lord of Wutai's estate due to undisclosed "issues." Following the Wutanese messenger, his dinner companions Lord Godo and Lord Tsubashi behind him, Sephiroth came to witness the worst indiscretion of his career. Lady Yuffie, trailing further behind, made a sound of shocked horror before rushing to the side of a little girl who was crying over her injured mother. The woman had been shot. _Twice_. She was still alive, but the extent of her injuries needed to be assessed. Very near her was a trooper poised with his gun cocked and pointed directly at a group of four other troopers. Those opposing him also had their weapons drawn, mocking the lone trooper for protecting a "dirty chink" and threatening to shoot him as well.

Coldly furious, Sephiroth swept forward with all of the grace of a hunting panther, swiping Masamune clean through all four guns and rendering them useless. Standing before the group, Mako eyes harshly glaring, the SOLDIER all but hissed that he _should_ revoke their rights and status as Shin-Ra soldiers right here and leave them in this country without assistance. However, they wouldn't last an hour, let alone long enough to feel any real consequences for their actions, and so they would be relieved of duty here, but carted back and dishonorably discharged at home. There, it would rapidly become apparent just what kind of consequence their actions had wrought.

Properly dressed down, the soldiers were sent away with Sephiroth's personal "escort" unit, imprisoned as treasonous. With the immediate threat dealt with, Sephiroth turned to assist the woman, only to be met with a curious scene. The other trooper was down on the ground, his pack open and showing quite a few medical supplies. It was considered inappropriate for a man to touch a woman's naked skin here, but the mother was bleeding out in front of her daughter and Lady Yuffie, at least, seemed willing to ignore rules of propriety.

The trooper worked quickly, utilizing his makeshift assistant and handing off a set of potions as he felt the areas around the bullet wounds, keeping up a stream of quiet words. The wounds were through-and-through, and at least the one in her arm had missed bone and would heal cleanly. The one to her abdomen had more than likely pierced intestine and he was going to cast ensuna to make absolutely certain there would be no infection – if she would please drink the potions to help the healing process? The woman acquiesced only due to Lady Yuffie asking her to drink and the ensuna glowed prettily for a moment. Three potions were consumed before the woman sat up, wincing. Sephiroth stepped forward as the soldier – obviously trained for support duties with special attention to those of a medic – handed her another set of three small containers and told her to take those if she felt any pain. Hushing her crying child, the woman accepted the potions with a distrustful expression.

Bowing to both lords, the silver warrior expressed his deepest apologies for the inexcusable behavior of soldiers sent here with him, accepting full blame for their actions. Both Lord Godo and Lord Tsubashi were _displeased_, but the first words spoken were actually those of thanks. There might be four worthless men with him hiding behind Sephiroth's name and their own false bravado, but there was also one man with a true sense of honor and responsibility. One soldier acted quickly, preventing a troubling situation from becoming far worse, and did not hesitate for a moment when given the opportunity to save a life. This one soldier was worth more than twenty spineless men. For that reason, they desired to praise the silver warrior and reward the good deed.

Lady Yuffie helped the woman stand, facing the trooper and asking him to stand soon after. It was obvious that the soldier did not know what kind of protocol to use here, so he fell back on his military training and the simple rule of respecting the orders of acknowledged superiors and stood quickly. He was… short. Sephiroth hadn't known there was anybody serving who was that size. The Lady gestured toward his face and both gloved hands reached up, taking the standard helmet off and placing it on top of his bag. Bright golden hair fell around a face still soft and boyish, azure eyes lowered so that he was not looking anyone directly in the eye. She asked his name and that same soft, calm voice responded with "Strife Cloud, sir." Feeling some sympathy for the one who had earned the respect of her leader, the injured woman lightly corrected him so that he would honor the Lady properly. Amusingly, the blonde thanked the woman with another "sir" tacked on the end. As it was obvious that insults were the last thing on his mind, the topic was unceremoniously dropped.

Lord Tsubashi expressed uncertainty as to why Sephiroth was allowing the four honorless soldiers to return to their families, but Lord Godo, who had spent much time with the silver warrior whenever he visited, held up his hand for silence. Locking eyes with the General, the leader of Wutai responded, knowing just how disgraced the soldiers were. The burden placed on their families would be greater, no one willing to associate with those unemployable to the Shin-Ra. Sephiroth's discipline was more severe than the immediate death those soldiers faced in Wutai. The General nodded his acceptance of the explanation, mildly surprised that he had received no harsh reprimand.

The Lady asked Strife to join them back to the Emperor's pagoda, receiving a stiff bow and a short stutter about not wanted to be a burden for them. Laughing, Lady Yuffie waved the comment off and grabbed the blonde's hand, dragging him after her. Strife made a noise not unlike disbelief, trailing behind her, while Lord Godo shook his head in exasperation of his daughter's antics. Knowing something about the Lady's persistence, the General retrieved the bag and helmet that the boy had been unable to recover before nodding to the young woman hushing her little daughter and telling her that any potions she needed in the future would be on Sephiroth's gil.

After that, the General and both lords returned to the Emperor's pagoda to finish their meal and spend some time conversing. The silver warrior made a mental note to assign that young medic more missions in Wutai now that Lord Godo and Lady Yuffie – notoriously picky about foreigners – had given him their blessings. Strife would need a bit of etiquette training first, and a promotion was in order after this ordeal; for what political mines the teen had diffused on his own, Sephiroth was inclined to get the blonde special training in whatever field he desired as a reward. There was no such thing as a simple mission to Wutai with so much ignorance breeding in the standard ranks. People like Strife were rare and important allies in the long run.


	2. Understanding

Title: Understanding

Author: Garnet Eyes

Archived: y-gallery. net, fanfiction. net

Summary: Some missions involve the worst of luck, but karma has an odd way of balancing. Follows _Wutai_.

Rating: K

Pairings: None

Author Notes: I have not had the time to watch/play anything in the Final Fantasy VII universe beyond the original game and Advent Children. Therefore, I am certain there are inconsistencies between my writing and newer games or movies.

Disclaimers: Final Fantasy VII is owned by Squaresoft and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

The winds had picked up significantly in the past hour. By itself, that was dangerous, but it was far worse with the rocky ground slippery from rainwater. Jade eyes scanned the skies in the limited distance he could, genuinely surprised by the speed with which this storm had hit. Granted, the General had not often been to Wutai since the end of the war and the Planet was changing, but this type of storm was far more common around the Nibel Ranges. Furthermore, the elite was concerned for the soldiers that had been trekking back to town; hopefully, the young men had made the trip safely. If they hadn't, there was very little chance of ever recovering anything as proof of death.

From deeper inside the cave currently being utilized as a shield from the weather came a soft sigh. Turning to face the sound, Sephiroth narrowed his eyes on the blonde sitting on the ground with his back against the rocky wall. The usual helmet was perched atop a worn brown pack on the ground beside the small trooper, leaving the boyish features exposed. Not far from the teen, the fires of Da Chao blazed brightly and azure stared at a point just to the side of the flames on the opposite wall. Cocking his head, the silver warrior watched the boy a moment before stepping away from the cave's entrance and taking an opposing seat against the other wall, mimicking the soldier's stretched-leg position. Silence permeated the air, undisturbed by the patter of rain on rock or the crackle of never-ceasing fire.

The blonde was a bit tense, holding his arm at the elbow and rubbing in a subconsciously soothing gesture. Amused, the SOLDIER observed for a moment longer before bending a leg up to act as a rest for his right arm.

"How is it that we keep meeting one another in poor circumstance on this mission?"

Startled blue eyes darted toward the older male from their idle gaze; apparently the blonde was rather taken aback by the statement.

"I apologize, sir."

Snorting, the silver warrior smiled benignly toward the young trooper.

"For what? The weather?"

Tan cheeks flushed to a subtle pink, embarrassment obvious from the boy's uncomfortable shift into another position, drawing his legs a little closer to himself. That did not deter the General from genuine interest in the words that followed.

"Not that, no. There isn't a lot given to us to study the geography or climate of the area. I – …I meant to apologize for the soldiers you had to deal with three nights ago. They were drunk and I couldn't keep them under control."

Raising a thin brow, the SOLDIER masked his face into an expression of apathy. He much preferred to use this trick when acquiring information since it wouldn't due to appear eager and for some reason everyone outside of SOLDIER seemed under the impression that telling him every minute detail about anything would change his expression to something more pleasing. Although the silver warrior was not interested in petty manipulation, he equally did not like to waste his time wheedling out the information that he needed.

"Oh?"

The blonde nodded once sharply, fully focused on the SOLDIER before him.

"Yes. Therefore, I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble."

His usual trick being rebuffed, the elite changed tactics and smirked as he leaned forward until his chest was braced against his thigh. The arm not resting on his knee lifted to gesticulate a few points to the young soldier.

"One man can only do so much to stem the tide of irresponsibility. Blaming yourself for everything is pointless. You did your best with what you were given to work with. As I have heard, soldiers in the regular army are not very tightly knit. You cannot influence your peers in the way an elite SOLDIER can influence his. Be proud of yourself for the actions you did take and the allies you make for yourself."

Azure eyes blinked several times as the teen absorbed the words, giving the silver warrior the opportunity to relax back against the wall. After a moment's contemplation, pale eyes narrowed and the soldier frowned.

"Whether the fault lays with me or not, everyone ends up labeled by the actions of others, sir. I take the same responsibility for others as I would take for myself."

Jade eyes lidded, clear amusement radiating from the SOLDIER as he replied. That was in no way a standard response from any green soldier; Sephiroth could not help but be intrigued by the blonde.

"Very impressive analysis. I have a question, though. Do you know who I am?"

Blue eyes blinked once, an expression overcoming youthful features that exclaimed the sheer absurdity of the question.

"Of course, sir."

Closing his eyes, the General leaned his head against the wall.

"Good. Then I expect you to be able to refer to me by name… Strife, was it not?"

The silver warrior did not need to look in order to feel the surprise radiating off of the teen. The next move was the blonde's, however, in this subtle game of words.

"Yes, sir. As you order, sir."

With a rueful smirk, the older male gestured vaguely to the empty air beside himself.

"This is about the time Zackary would say something entertaining to help you relax. I must confess, I am very poor at that particular skill."

Silence fell between them, unfortunately thick, before a sudden break occurred in the patterns Sephiroth had grown accustomed to. Usually by now, if the individual was outside of SOLDIER, he or she would be far too wound up to say another thing to the elite.

"I'm not particularly good at this either, sir. It's got nothing to do with you personally."

Feline eyes blinked open, still heavily lidded as they gazed at the small blonde. The boy still looked uncomfortable, true, but there was no real change in the level of discomfort from before.

"I see. Perhaps we might distract ourselves, then. Tell me, how did you decide to become a medic?"

Continuing to rub his elbow, the blonde turned to look at the cave entrance. Although the fire was to the back of his head, casting shadows on the smooth face, to the SOLDIER's vision it hardly mattered.

"I'm not that great at physical combat. I'm too small to be good with much more than a gun, although that's more for parade than anything. My commanding officer noticed that I don't have the same difficulty casting as the others in the troop, so he turned me over to the med unit."

Sephiroth hummed softly, closing his eyes once more. The teen lacked confidence in himself. That issue needed to be attended, but it could wait for a better time when the blonde did not feel expressly trapped and unable to bow out at all.

"Is there anything in particular you would like to do in the military?"

There was no hesitation in the blonde's response, surprisingly enough for his ambition.

"Join SOLDIER."

Jade eyes slit open, noting the serious expression on the boy's face. Bringing himself into a more upright position, the General opened his eyes and vaguely gestured toward the teen.

"Might I ask why?"

Azure eyes turned from the mouth of the cave, locking onto feline pupils.

"I made a promise."

There was obviously more to the explanation, but nothing else was volunteered. Instead, the young medic cocked his head and nodded toward the elite.

"What about you, sir? Why did you become a SOLDIER?"

Jade eyes blinked twice, the unexpected question throwing the silver warrior for a moment. He could not recall ever actually being asked such a question before.

"I was born into the career path I am on, Strife."

The blonde frowned, but did not speak for a minute or so while his attentions focused inward. When he finally spoke, azure gaze once more returned to jade, his voice was almost drowned out by the nearby fire.

"I don't think I would cope well with my life being planned out for me. There would be no surprise."

A grin quirked at his lips as the SOLDIER replied.

"The unexpected never fails to occur."

Tan lips curled in a shy return smile as azure eyes closed, head bowing to nearly touch uniformed chest in apparent weariness.

"If only it would be more helpful when it does."

The General shut feline eyes, resting his head against the wall again and ignoring the loud clap of thunder outside that echoed over the teen's prior words.

"Matter of perspective."

Another clap of thunder rumbled over rocky terrain, the downpour suddenly growing in strength.

"You believe in silver linings, then."

The SOLDIER snorted, but nevertheless responded.

"I suppose that would be one way to put it."

There was a short sound like stifled laughter from the blonde, causing one jade eye to open. The teen was relaxed back against the cave wall in a fashion very similar to the silver warrior, eyes still closed.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for an optimist."

Wryly, the elite smirked and casually waved a hand in a dismissive gesture, even though his companion could not see the movement.

"I would hardly call myself optimistic. I find myself rather cynical most of the time."

The medic waved his hand dismissively, although the gesture seemed somehow stilted.

"One doesn't preclude the other, Sephiroth."

The elite opened his mouth to dispute the statement, but paused before a single sound passed his lips. While he could argue with such a confounding and primarily illogical statement without difficulty, instead a genuine smile settled over pale features as he closed his eye and relaxed his limbs.

"I suppose."


End file.
